Links
It seems to have become the norm that a ‘worthy’ website offers a well-organized list of links to sources in line with its overall mandate. We had previously not managed that aspect of ScytheConnection very well. (The references were there alright, but mostly scattered throughout the formidable maze of material, often only found if one clicked on notes/”read more”s — which are sometimes longer than the text of the respective piece of writing itself. Yes, we’ve been both slow to realize how exactly the electronically-focused minds operate these days, and too stubborn to want to cater to that trend…).
Now, letting go of of at least a portion of our ‘old-fashioned’ streak, here are the specifically scythe-oriented websites or blogs that we endorse above others.
Bladerunners ranks as the most witty and clearly presented of all scythe sources, in our opinion. What also puts them ‘above’ most of the rest of contemporary scythe sellers is their ethical approach to operating a business.
Another noteworthy website is that of Simon Fairlie’s Scythe Shop.
Not only because Simon is a good writer and won’t bullshit just to make a few more sterling pounds, but because since about 2004 he’s been the chief cog propelling the UK version of the slowly moving Scythe Renaissance caravan. It was by virtue of his initiation that the radicals in UK have managed to spread, within their own borders, the scythe fire further afield than any other ‘developed’ nation. Of course, now they all deserve applaud!
Our really most admired scythe-using and selling individual is Niels Johannsen of Denmark — the man we nominated Mower of the Decade.
In the realm of scythes Niels has inverted the metaphor ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ on its head — by demonstrating that even the most experienced mowers haven’t seen it all, and that there is no end to new and useful ‘tricks’ that can be learned by creative application of a centuries old tool.
Now, our partiality notwithstanding (because the founder is Peter’s brother) we must hereby endorse the efforts of Alexander Vido of ScytheWorks.
As a lifelong perfectionist in more than his woodworking profession, he offers unprecedented scythe service — with nicer snaths than can, in our view, be obtained from any other commercial source which he fits individually with numerous blade options. (“Individual fitting”, in this case, is not the same as the run-of-the-mill ‘customized scythe’, by the way…)
The rest of the international mail order scythe businesses that we are aware of are listed here.
As for other scythe-devoted internet sources, we take our hats off to Scytherspace.
Steve Tomlin (the blog’s producer) and his partner Christiane Lechner from Austria, have become sort of rising stars of that blossoming Scythe Renaissance movement, and traveled further up the scythe-sharing path than most; may the Grinning Reaper bless their steps!
In closing, one very special person deserves our lasting gratitude — Steve Leppold of Eugene, Oregon, the ‘producer’ of two blogs: ScytheConnected and AxeConnected
More than any other individual, Steve could not only appreciate the concept, but put forth actual effort on behalf of that (failed) vision of ours that we referred to as the “Essential Tools Network”. Had we been more ‘up to snuff’ when it comes to providing him with ready-to-post new material, both of those blogs would be miles longer — because Steve is ever ready to do his share and more. Not only with our blogs; he is just that kind of very uncommon human being…